Vatican City
The smallest country in the world offers the heart of Catholicism and among the
world's finest art collections, including the Sistine Chapel and the Raphael
Rooms (ceiling pictured). Go to Vatican City!

Austria
Belvedere Palace (pictured) is just one of many palaces found in Vienna. The capital
is a good start to Austria, which also features the Alps, the Lakes District, and
incredible history & food. Go Now!

Latvia
Latvia is small, but has a diverse history, foods, and architecture (shown), which
includes aspects from both Eastern and Western Europe. Begin Your
Journey!

Architecture of Azerbaijan

Soviet Architecture

When it comes to exploring Azerbaijani architecture,
nearly everything of note is located in the capital city of Baku. As a crossroads
between the Persians, Turks, Russians
and Azerbaijanis, the city has formed an architectural style somewhat unique to
their neighbors. However, as a primarily Muslim country, much of the old architecture
is in the form of Islamic art and is most noticeable in Baku's old town.

In the 1100s the city built walls, much of which still remain. Also in this century
the Maiden's tower was built and continues to dominate the old town's skyline
today. The Shirvan Shah's Palace was built primarily in the 1400s and is the
best example of Azerbaijan's historical mosque and
palace architecture.

In the 1900s the country was taken over by the Soviets and the landscape changed.
The concrete style associated with Soviet architecture was developed in many cities,
however primarily on these cities' outskirts. The Soviets however always made
an effort to integrate local architecture into their buildings and this is more
pronounced in Azerbaijan than in most former Soviet countries
since Azerbaijan's Islamic architecture was vastly different from the Soviet's.
For this reason, there are a number of buildings in Baku's old town that are
fairly unique examples of Soviet architecture, which integrate Azerbaijani characteristics.